


REVOLUTION OF ICE AND THORNS: YEAR FIVE

by JadedSuperGirl



Series: REVOLUTION OF ICE AND THORNS [1]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Harry Potter Next Generation, Rose Weasley - Freeform, Scorpius Malfoy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-14
Updated: 2012-06-11
Packaged: 2017-11-01 22:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/362018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadedSuperGirl/pseuds/JadedSuperGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been twenty-three years since the defeat of Voldemort. The Wizarding World may be in peril once again. Will the new generation at Hogwarts be up for the challenge? Will Rose and Scorpius overcome their past to brave the future? R & R to find out!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Harry Potter and related content belongs to J.K Rowling. I own nothing except for any new characters that my creative little mind comes up with and Romulus the Labrador!_

**REVOLUTION OF ICE AND THORNS: YEAR FIVE**

_So you say you want a revolution? Well we all want to change the world…_

 

 

**PROLOGUE**

 

 

_September 1st 2017 – King’s Cross Station_

 

 

The crisp autumn air felt cool against Albus Potter’s face while he leaned out of the window watching his father walk alongside the Hogwarts Express. The scarlet train was already beginning to pick up speed. He gave the elder Potter a final wave just as the train disappeared around the bend leaving platform nine and three quarters behind. With a sigh the young raven-haired boy pulled away from the window, and turned to his cousin.

 

“Come on, Rosie.” he said. “We should go find Alice. We promised to meet her on the train”

 

Rose nodded and the pair made their way down the busy corridor of the train hoping to find their friend. Albus lead their search passed several occupied compartments when the Express lurched on a turn. Rose lost her balance with the sudden movement made at the exact same moment that a familiar head of platinum-blond hair emerged from a nearby compartment.

 

Expecting the hard floor, Rose squeezed her blue eyes shut bracing herself for the fall—only it never came. She fell onto something soft, warm, and distinctly human.

 

She opened her eyes slowly, her lips forming a small ‘o’ of surprise when she realized what had happened. A boy had broken her fall. Rose looked up to meet the gray eyes of her savior and her cheeks flushed a very Weasley-ish shade of pink in embarrassment as he steadied her. When their eyes met for a fraction of a second, Malfoy shared the same look of surprise before a mask of indifference fell into place. Of course it had to be him— the Malfoy boy. She could remember her father pointing him and his parents out on the platform. Malfoy was taller than her by a few inches, perhaps about as tall as Albus and just as lanky.  He wore his Hogwarts robes neatly pressed and platinum hair slicked back with not a strand out of place. Perfect.

 

“Are you ok?” he asked after a moment of awkward silence.

 

“Yes, thank you” she said, “I… I'm sorry about that—”

 

He took a step back and waved his hand dismissively, interrupting her apology, “No harm done.”

 

The sound of a door sliding open drew their attention, and another head of pale blond hair poked out of a compartment behind him.

 

Rose could see a resemblance between the two boys, cousins perhaps.

 

“Scorpius, there you are, cousin!”

 

Scorpius rolled his eyes at the newcomer. “I'll be right there, Damian.”

 

“Get a move on then. We don't have all day you know.”

 

Scorpius nodded to the other boy and Damian disappeared into the compartment again.

 

“See you around, Weasley.” He said, sparing the red head a final glance.

 

Before she could reply, Albus, who had been completely ignored in the exchange, grabbed her hand and started tugging her in the opposite direction. A moment later, Rose heard the compartment door shut behind them. Scorpius Malfoy was gone.

 

“Come on, Rose!” Albus hissed.

 

Still rather stunned, Rose allowed Albus to lead her half-way down the corridor before snapping out of her reverie.

 

“Al...” Rose said tugging on the sleeve of her cousin’s robes. “Slow down!”

 

Satisfied that they were alone again, Albus sighed and let go. They fell into step together, walking in subdued silence while searching several more compartments until they found Alice. She was sitting alone in one of the last compartments of the train, waiting for them. Alice is a pretty girl, with wavy caramel-colored hair, hazel eyes, and a pale cherub’s face. Albus and Rose have known Alice Longbottom since they were all in diapers.

 

“It's about time you two got here!” she said as Rose dropped down into the seat across from her. “What took you so long?”

 

Alice's bright smile lit up her face. She was happy to see her best friends; however she hadn't quite picked up on their tense mood. Albus stepped into the compartment and slid the door shut behind him before he joined Rose on the cushioned seat.

 

“What was that all about?” Albus burst out suddenly, frowning at Rose.

 

“What?” Rose asked.

 

“You were nice to…Malfoy.”

 

“So?” Rose replied raising an eyebrow at him.

 

“Wait,” Alice interrupted, “what happened?”

 

“Rose had a klutz attack in front of Malfoy just now.” Albus explained.

 

“I did not have a klutz attack! I don’t have klutz attacks.” Rose said indignantly, crossing her arms.

 

Alice laughed, “I thought I was the klutz.”

 

She rolled her eyes at Albus and went on to relay the whole story, “the train jerked around a bit when it rounded the bend and I stumbled…right into him.”

 

“You were blushing” Albus pointed out.

 

“So, you stumbled into Malfoy and …” Alice asked.

 

“Yeah,” Rose replied with a shrug. “And he was actually pretty decent about it.”

 

Albus made a face and scoffed, “sure he was.”

 

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Alice cut in. “So what if they bumped into each other?”

 

“You should have seen it, Alice. She was blushing and acting all sorts of ridiculous.”

 

“You've said that already.” Alice reminded him wryly. She was clearly amused by this story.

 

“It’s called being embarrassed. I didn’t know that having good manners is supposed to be ridiculous. I was only being polite, Al” Rose said frowning at him.

 

“Don’t mind him, Rose. He’s the one that's being ridiculous. All boys are quite capable of being complete prats when they want to be.”

 

“I am not being ridiculous!” he said defensively. It was Albus’ turn for a little indignation. “The Malfoys are nothing but trouble, and what did he mean by, ‘see you around, Weasley’ anyway. That sounded pretty ominous to me.”

 

“We go to the same school. Obviously, he just meant what he said; that he’d ‘see me around.’ I really don’t see why you are all worked up about this.”

 

Irritation was seeping into Rose's tone, clearly indicating that she'd had enough of the subject. She had heard all of the same stories about the Malfoys that Albus had; about the Malfoy’s part in the war, the rivalry between their families, and the countless reasons as to why they were no good.

 

It seemed like the entire Potter-Weasley family had something to say about Malfoys and Slytherins in general. Somehow, Rose still didn't see what all the fuss was about. This boy, though he looked enough like his father, was definitely not the same person. Rose was not going judge him because of his father's past. It was in her nature to give people the benefit of a doubt, and besides, she was too stubborn to let anyone else make up her mind for her. Albus' close-mindedness was grating on her nerves.

 

Thankfully, Albus had caught on to the change in her tone, and tactfully changed the subject. From then on the three children chattered excitedly about Hogwarts and all of their expectations. Within minutes Rose had forgotten all about her irritation with Albus. There would be so much to learn at Hogwarts; countless spells, potions, charms, and all kinds of magical creatures. Oh and the books! Hogwarts housed the largest collection of books that Rose could ever imagine in their library.

 

The conversation carried on well through into the day, and at some point during the ride an old witch with a tea trolley came with various treats. The kids purchased some pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs for lunch. Not long after they’d had their fill of sweets night fell and it started to rain. The occupants of the train grew more subdued, speaking in hushed voices or dozing off as the pitter patter of rain lulled them to sleep.

 

Rose was only abstractly listening to Albus and Alice as they talked about magical creatures that could be found in the forbidden forest and the deep waters of the lake. She caught only bits about over grown spiders and mermaids before completely tuning them out. While she watched the passing scenery and the storm brewing outside of her window, her mind was already thinking ahead to the sorting ceremony that awaited them. There was very little time before they would arrive at Hogwarts and then they would be sorted into one of the four founding houses of the school. This would be one of the most defining moments in their lives, because for the next seven years they would have to live with whatever house they were sorted into and their would-be house mates.

 

The sorting ceremony was something that Rose thought about ever since receiving her acceptance letter. She had done her research about the founders, asked her mother about what the sorting had been like when she'd been sorted in her first year, and it all came back to one conclusion. Every Weasley since as far back as anyone could remember had been sorted into Gryffindor, and that was where she wanted to be. No amount of research was going to change that. And yet—Rose couldn't help but notice how easily she could fit in Ravenclaw. A seed of doubt, the tiniest fear that she would be the only one in her family to be sorted outside of Gryffindor, was planted in her mind. She would be the odd one out, an outcast in her family.

 

Her father's words before boarding the Express were really starting to hit home. The whole thing was just so absurd. He had only been teasing, Rose knew. Her family would love her no matter what. The fears she harbored were quite unfounded. The desire to belong, however, was far stronger than any other especially for an eleven year old.

 

When Rose shared these fears with her mother, it only made her feel monumentally worse. Her mother, much to her dismay, had been enthusiastic about the idea of a Ravenclaw in the family. Hermione Weasley didn't see anything wrong with her daughter being sorted into a different house. In fact, she thought it was a good possibility that Rose would find a better fit with the Ravenclaws. Rose didn't think so, and it was after having this particular conversation that she decided against talking about it with anyone else.

 

When the train pulled into Hogsmeade station it was still raining. The children walked out into a light drizzle and got soaked in a matter of minutes. Several large, black carriages awaited the older students, while an extraordinarily large figure with a graying beard called to the first years. They could see his bright candle-lit lamp and converged on him immediately, staying huddled together for warmth.

 

Rubeus Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor, towered over the group as he herded them underneath an enormous umbrella, toward a small pier with about a dozen little boats. With the rain baring down on them the professor wasted no time in putting them into groups of four per boat. He picked out Rose, Alice, and Albus out of the flock right away.

 

Beaming, he waved at them. “All right there, Albus? Rosie? Alice?”

 

“Hi, Hagrid,” Albus called, smiling up at the half giant.

 

“Hullo!” Rose and Alice chimed in together. The girls were beaming as well.

 

At last all of the children were sorted into their boats. Rose's little party of three and a boy named Seeley Brennan shared a boat together; while Hagrid, being so large, had one all to himself. As if by magic, the little boats took off across the lake all at once. The one lamp led the way through the dark and rainy night. Everyone was too excited to even worry about being drenched in the rain and the misty fog that fell over them. They drifted almost lazily along what looked like a rather ghostly lake given the current weather.

 

It wasn't till after they passed underneath the cave of a waterfall that a massive structure loomed over them from the hillside, a castle with its many turrets and towers hidden here from most of the world. The amazement of the students could be heard in earnest as their boat ride came to an end at another small pier at the base of the castle grounds. The children climbed out of the boats and were all accounted for before following Hagrid up to the castle entrance. They hurried up the stone steps eager to get out of the rain and even more so to explore the castle.

 

Hagrid went ahead making their arrival known with three loud, resounding knocks on the castle's immense oak doors. They opened with a creak and a shudder revealing a tall, young looking witch. Though she was young, she was clearly past the age of a Hogwarts student. She wore crisp, olivine colored robes, and her long hair fell loosely around her shoulders in golden waves. There was a soft expression in her blue eyes as her gaze fell upon the newest batch of Hogwarts students.

 

“Evening, Hagrid,” she called to the larger man. The woman spoke with a strong authoritative cadence tempered by a faint Scottish lilt.

“Evening, Professor Braley,” Hagrid said in return, “Horrible weather out there tonight. Better get these little ones inside.”

 

“Yes, thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here.”

 

“Come on inside children,” she said, “This way, please. Let's get all of you dried up first.”

 

She performed a drying spell as each child passed through the entrance. It was an instant relief from the wet clothes that clung to their bodies. After each child was cared for, Professor Braley, lead the way to a small antechamber adjoining the Great Hall.

 

“Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” she announced. Braley had the sort of presence that commanded the attention of a room with just a look.

 

“I am Professor Braley. I will be your Defense against the Dark Arts teacher here at Hogwarts.” she went on. “In a moment we will be entering the Great Hall to proceed with the house sorting ceremony. Some of you may already be aware that we have four founding houses to which you will all be sorted. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. The house you are sorted into will be your home, and your housemates will be your family for the duration of your stay here. As a family, you will share in your triumphs and earn house points. By the same token, any rule breaking will result in the loss of said points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup, which is a tremendous honor. The ceremony should be about to start. If everyone will excuse me for just a moment, I shall be right back once we are ready for you.”

 

Professor Braley disappeared through the doors they had come in and excitement erupted among the waiting first years.

 

“What house do you think we'll be sorted into?” Alice asked curiously.

 

“I’m not sure. . .” Albus replied. He sounded a little anxious though he kept his reservations to himself.

 

“This is a little nerve wracking . . . the not knowing.” Rose admitted while sneaking a glance at a Malfoy who was nearby.

 

Scorpius met her gaze making Rose shy away before anyone else noticed.

 

“You two need to relax.” Alice admonished looking amused, taking Rose’s discomfort as nervousness rather than embarrassment.

 

The buzz of excitement died down as soon as the young professor stepped back into the antechamber. She organized them into two straight lines and led them out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. The ceremony was about to start, and Rose stood behind Alice in line thinking that the wait and 'not knowing' was more than just a little nerve wracking—it was downright terrifying.

 

The change in atmosphere was instantaneous. The noise in the Great Hall fell to a whisper as all attention was given to the first years being marched into the middle of the cavernous room. It was truly a place of wonder, lit by thousands upon thousands of candles that floated over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. Awe spread over the cluster of young students as they looked up and noticed the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall for the first time. It was currently reflecting the ominous weather outside with lightning streaking sporadically through the evening sky.

 

The children stood mesmerized by the sight until Professor Braley called their attention to a stool set in front of them. On top of the stool was a peculiar-looking, pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched, frayed, and looked extremely ancient. There did not seem to be anything extraordinary about it until a seam ripped open like a mouth and the hat began to sing. It wove it's tale in rhyme, telling of the four Hogwarts houses, and of the unique qualities that the founders valued in their students.

 

With the hat's song sung, the entire hall erupted into a round of applause. Braley waited a moment while everyone settled down and began to unravel a long roll of parchment.

 

“Alright, as I call each of your names you will take a seat on the stool and put the Sorting Hat on your head. Once the hat has made a decision, you may join your peers at the appropriate table.” she said.

 

“Alderton, Sharon!”

 

A wiry brunette girl standing three behind Rose, turned pale white, before rushing forward to the stool. She put the hat on her head and took a seat. There was only a very short pause and then—

 

“HUFFLEPUFF!” proclaimed the hat.

 

A cheer rose from the table closest to the door on the right as they welcomed Sharon into their midst.

 

“Baddock, Rodney!”

 

A boy stepped out of line and strode right up to the stool. He didn't look quite as nervous as the other children when Braley placed the hat on his head.

 

“SLYTHERIN!” the hat belted out at once.

 

The second table from the right stood this time, greeting their new house mate with woops and cheers.

 

Next, a pair of twin boys, Aiden and Austen Boot, joined the second table from the left. They were the first to be sorted into Ravenclaw.

 

The Slytherin table welcomed another student, a girl this time. Professor Braley was positively beaming as Mackenzie Braley, a girl with blond curls, pretty blue eyes, and a striking resemblance to the professor stepped out of line to be sorted. They both seemed to be pleased by the sorting hat’s choice.

 

A boy by the name of Seeley Brennan was the first to be sorted into Gryffindor. A round of cheers rose from the table on the far left as the brunette went to sit with them. From where she stood, Rose could see her cousins dominating a large portion of the rowdy table.

 

Eric Cadwallader and Benjamin Carmichael both became Ravenclaws followed by a Miles Cattermole who was sorted into Hufflepuff.

 

The C’s continued with Johanna Cauldwell, who was sorted into Hufflepuff, Paige Corner, who was sorted into Slytherin, Delia Creevey who was sorted into Gryffindor, and finally Danica Cresswell, sorted into Ravenclaw.

 

This was barely the tip of the iceberg, there were several students left to be sorted before getting to Longbottom, Potter, and Weasley.

 

“Davies, Tyler!”

 

“RAVENCLAW!”

 

“Entwhistle, Leonora,” another Ravenclaw.

 

“Finnigan, Teague!”

 

Rose and Albus both recognized the sandy-haired, freckle faced boy that stepped forward this time. Teague’s parents had been in the same house and year with their own parents. He grinned at them as he marched forward to put the hat on his head.

 

There was only a few seconds of deliberation before the hat bellowed, “GRYFFINDOR!”

 

“Flanagan, Payton!”

 

“SLYTHERIN!”

 

“Fortescue, Naomi!”

 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

 

The names continued as Naomi joined her brother Andrew at Gryffindor table.

 

“Hayes, Jessica!”

 

“RAVENCLAW!”

 

Logan Kirke was sorted into Gryffindor and then they’d come to the L’s.

 

Professor Braley called for Alice. For a whole minute she stood in frozen until Rose nudged her forward.

 

“Longbotton, Alice!” the professor repeated when Alice hadn't immediately come forward.

 

And poor Alice nervously walked up to the stool and tried on the hat. It was on her head for barely a second or two before it announced, “GRYFFINDOR!” Grinning happily she tore off the pointed hat and hurried off to join the Weasleys.

 

After Alice, a Hufflepuff, Ephraim Macmillan was sorted.

 

Then Scorpius Malfoy, the boy who’d saved Rose from a fall, was next. He strode confidently up to the stool and the hat was bellowing, “SLYTHERIN!” when it’d just barely touched his blond head. As soon as the hat made its proclamation, Malfoy went to join the other blond, his cousin Damian, at their table.

 

Albus turned to Rose giving her a smug ‘I told you so.’ look. Rose frowned at him and turned away to watch as Angela McKenna was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dylan Montague joined Malfoy's group at the Slytherin’s table followed by Keely Moore who went to sit with Angela and the other Ravenclaws

 

Another pair of dark-haired twins, Druce and Dympna O'Shea, filled the ranks in Slytherin.

 

And then—

 

“Potter, Albus!”

 

Professor Braley had called his name and Rose wished him luck as he gathered all of his nerve and went off to try on the hat. Albus looked so anxious sitting there on the stool with the attention of the entire hall upon him. During the long pause as the sorting deliberated, it seemed like everyone was waiting with baited breath to see where the sorting hat would place Harry Potter’s second son.

 

Finally after what seemed like ages, the sorting hat shouted its verdict “GRYFFINDOR!”

 

The loudest cheers of all came from the Gryffindor table as they welcomed another Potter. James and the rest of the Weasleys made so much noise with their congratulations that it carried over the loudest of cheers. A look of pure relief washed over Albus' features as James, and his friend Wesley Wood made room for him to sit between them.

 

Once the Gryffindors had settled down, June Riggio was sorted into Slytherin; then a third set of twins, which was a rarity to see within the same term, were sorted. Emmett and Jillian Robards became the next Gryffindors.

 

There were only a handful of students left to be sorted after the Robards twins. Aimee Summerby became a Hufflepuff and Rose knew it would be her turn next. The professor did not disappoint.

 

“Weasley, Rose!”

 

Rose took a deep breath and exhaled before she started toward the stool. With each step she took, the Sorting Hat seemed to be farther and farther away. It was only her mind playing tricks on her of course. The stool was no farther away than it had been before. With a second deep breath and another few steps, Rose was finally situated on the stool with the hat on her head.

 

“What's this? They’ve sent me another Weasley, eh? Oh, but you are a rare one aren't you? Not like the rest of your lot. Talent, potential, and intelligence such as yours belong in Raven—”

 

“No! Oh no please not Ravenclaw! I don’t belong there!” she whispered urgently to the hat, looking distressed and squirming in her seat.

 

“Such a pity, Ravenclaw seems like a much better fit. Oh well, off you go with yours” the Hat relented, “GRYFFINDOR!”

 

“Thanks!” Rose said sounding relieved.

 

Yanking the hat off her head she grinned at her family as the whole of Gryffindor house greeted her with another round of enthusiastic cheer. Rose hurried over to them and was immediately in the arms of her cousin Louis. He lifted her off her feet with a hug and spun her around. "Well done!" he said as he set her back down.

 

“Well done, Rose!” added her cousin Victoire with a proud smile and a hug. None of them could stop smiling as they made room for her at the table between Alice and Rose’s cousin, Molly. The three girls were sitting across from Albus and James.

 

There were only two more left to be sorted after Rose. Lewis Whitby became a Hufflepuff and the ceremony concluded with Scarlet Zabini being sorted into Slytherin. With all of the first years in their place, Professor Braley removed the stool and hat from the hall and joined the rest of the professors at the staff table taking her place beside the Headmaster.

 

The Headmaster, thickset old man stood from his seat at the staff table. He was very clean cut; dressed in pressed navy robes, his snowy white hair combed back and neatly trimmed. The man had a kind face and wise green eyes. He straightened to his full height, which wasn't very impressive at all, and smiled as he addressed the student body as a whole.

 

“Welcome! Welcome everyone to the start of a new term!” He greeted to a round of cheers.

 

There was a pause before the hall was silent again. “As most of you already know, I am Headmaster Gerard Talbot. Before the feast is under way, I would just like to say that I’m very happy to see all of you back and ready for a new year of learning. We will have a few important issues to address before I send you all off to bed but for now everyone tuck in and enjoy the feast!”

 

Everyone was clapping and cheering as the Headmaster took his seat again. The feast had begun. Suddenly, magically, all of the dishes in front of them were filled with various types of hot, tasty food and every goblet was filled to the brim with chilled pumpkin juice. Platters of roast beef, roast chicken and thick stews among other things were laid out for the students to choose from.

 

The students tucked into their meals eagerly. Despite how much she enjoyed her grandmother's cooking, Rose found her first meal at Hogwarts was the best she'd ever tasted. Perhaps it was because she was famished after such a long train ride, or maybe she was just pleased to be sitting with her family for the meal. But in any case, Rose Weasley was thoroughly enjoying herself; eating, drinking, talking, and laughing with everyone else. As Rose took a sip from her goblet of pumpkin juice she couldn't help the overwhelming sense of warmth and belonging that being among friends and family provided.

 

Once everyone ate their fill and then some, the remains of the meal disappeared leaving the dishes sparkling clean again just in time for all the wonderful desserts that appeared only moments later. Ice cream in every imaginable flavor, pies, tarts, cakes, doughnuts, and various puddings. . .

 

Rose indulged in a bowl of strawberry ice cream topped with whipped cream and chopped nuts while she listened in on some of the conversation going on around her. The first years were all asking dozens of questions about the castle and lessons. Some even inquired about the professors sitting up at the staff table. Alice was quite happy to announce that her father was Professor Neville Longbottom, the Herbology teacher and head of Gryffindor. Many of the older students liked him. Surprisingly enough, Professor Braley was also quite popular among the Gryffindors. They didn't seem to mind that she was the head of Slytherin because they all enjoyed her Defense against the Dark Arts lessons.

 

Rose had just finished her last spoonful of strawberry ice cream when the desserts disappeared and Professor Talbot stood once again. The lively chatter quieted instantly as everyone gave him their undivided attention “Ahem— before we're all off to our warm beds I have a few important announcements to make. First and foremost, venturing out into the forest is forbidden to all students as it is very unwise and unsafe to do so. I must also remind you that Students are not permitted to use magic in the corridors between classes. There is a list of items that are banned from the school premises. This list is located on the office door of the school caretaker, Mr. Algernon Badden.

 

“We will be holding Quidditch trials on the second week of term for those of you interested in playing for your house teams. Please feel free to contact Professor Wood during that week.

 

“And finally, I would like to remind all fifth and seventh years that you will be having your O.W.L and N.E.W.T examinations toward the end of this term. Please study hard, be productive, and as always stay alert with ready minds. Thank you everyone and now it's time for bed for you all. Off you go! Sleep well!”

 

With the headmaster's dismissal the prefects took this as their cue to gather the younger students and steer them to their respective common rooms. Victoire, who had been made Head Girl, lead them out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. The first years shuffled after her sleepily barely paying attention to her warning that the stairs tended to have a mind of their own and moved at the most unexpected and inopportune moments.

 

Rose was distracted by the Slytherins which were led in the opposite direction. She watched as Scorpius Malfoy's familiar blond head disappeared behind a tapestry that looked like it was hiding a flight of stairs that went further down into the bowels of the school. Rose sighed. Was she really supposed to believe that Malfoy was such an awful person just because his father and grandfather had been, or because he was a Slytherin? He seemed innocent enough.

 

She stifled a yawn and put the thoughts out of her mind. Rose had already promised herself that she'd give this boy the benefit of a doubt. At any rate, she wasn't out to make enemies at Hogwarts. Rose wanted to make friends. She wanted to learn and make the best of her experiences at the Wizarding School.

 

Through hidden panels and doorways, past elaborate tapestries and up several more flights of stairs, the Gryffindors followed Victoire Weasley until they arrived on the seventh floor and trooped toward the end of the corridor. At last they came to a stop, crowding around a portrait containing a rather portly woman wearing a frilly pink silk dress. The fat lady appeared to be enjoying a tea party with three other women who barely fit in the frame with her.

 

“Password?” the woman inquired rather peevishly since they had disrupted her party.

 

“Icarus,” Victoire stated clearly.

 

Grudgingly, the portrait of the Fat Lady swung forward revealing the large round hole in the wall that was the entrance to the common room. Everyone hurried through, some eager to get to bed, others curious to see the room inside.

 

The common room was a very warm and pleasant place. A crackling fire in the old fireplace kept the room at a comfortable temperature and there were many red, cushioned armchairs spread out strategically throughout the circular space.

 

The older kids already knew where they were going so they went on straight to their dorms. Victoire waited till they were all gone before she cleared her throat to get the first year's attention.

 

“Alright, if I could have everyone's attention for a moment, please. I know everyone is exhausted and ready for bed, so I'll make this short.” said Victoire. “The girls dormitories are through the door on your left, the boys are on the right.

 

“Please remember that this week's password is 'Icarus'. The password will change every week and you will need to remember it to be admitted into the common room. The Fat Lady in the portrait will not let you through otherwise. If at any time you are in need of assistance please see our head of house, Professor Longbottom, or myself, Victoire Weasley. Does anyone have questions?”

 

A few scattered yawns were the only response, so Victoire sent everyone off to bed. Rose bid her cousins good night and followed Alice through the door to their dormitories.

 

The door on the left opened to a spiral staircase that seemed to go up and up for ages. The girls clambered all the way up to the very top—the top of a tower or so it seemed—where they finally got to their very comfortable four-poster beds, decked with red velvet curtains and red blankets. There were five beds, one for each of the newly sorted first years and they found that their trunks had already been delivered and each one set in front of a bed. Rose could easily pick out  which space would be hers, her trunk with the pretty rose designs carved into the wood was set in front of the bed closest to door.

 

The girls all started to get settled for the night. Rose changed into her pajamas and started rummaging through her trunk until she unearthed her brand new, black, leather-bound journal. It was a gift her mother gave her the day they'd gone shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley. They had even gotten the journal engraved with Rose’s name in gold letters.

 

With her journal, some color-changing ink, and a quill, Rose settled into bed with her supplies and pulled the hangings around the four-poster bed for some privacy. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts and then she began to write the first entry . . .

 

 

_1, September 2017_

_William Shakespeare once wrote: “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” but today I’ve learned that a name means everything. A name holds a tremendous amount of weight in our society even for someone as young as I am. My name is Rose Weasley. I am eleven years old and this is my first year at Hogwarts. Tonight is the first night I have ever spent away from home. Yesterday, at home, I was just Rose Jean Weasley, but tonight I am also a half-blood, a first year, and a Gryffindor. Personally I do not care for these labels. What I do covet is the acceptance that comes along with each title. Everyone craves acceptance, and I am no exception to that rule. How different things could be if I were anyone else? Would my family and friends still accept me? I wonder... but no matter how many names or labels may be attached to me I will always be the same person. I’m just a girl; just Rose.  I am right where I’m supposed to be._

_Today, I met a boy. They tell me he is bad because he is a Malfoy. Again, is his name supposed to define him? I don’t know, but I intend to find out. I am always curious._

 

RJW

 

 

Satisfied with her entry, Rose let the ink dry and got out of bed to put her things away; the ink and quill back into her trunk, and her journal safely tucked between the bed mattresses. Life was going to be different from now on. She could feel it. But at least tonight everything was as it should be. Rose was exactly where she wanted to be. Smiling to herself she got back into bed and blew out the last candle.

 

 **Note from the Author** –

 ** _Revolution of Ice & Thorns_** is a re-named and modified version of my story **Hogwarts Revolutions: Year Five.** There have been a few edits (though very small and probably will go unnoticed in the prologue) Let me know what you all think also if you think I should continue with this story. I love comments and constructive criticism!

 

Also I’ve been reading a lot of fan fiction written by in.a.blue.bathrobe and she has a really fun thing she does with her author’s notes where she asks a question related to the chapter. I really like that idea so I think I will try it out. Thank you for your amazing stories and ideas in.a.blue.bathrobe! Your Twilight fan fics are amazing! All credit for this “Question of the Chapter” idea goes to her.

 

_What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?_

 


	2. DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

_Harry Potter and related content belongs to J.K Rowling. I own nothing except for any **new** characters that my creative little mind comes up with and Romulus the Labrador!_

**DOG DAYS OF SUMMER**

**_Rose_ ** ****

 

 

_July 2021 – London to Ottery St. Catchpole_

 

 

The weather in London is usually quite predictable. It either rains enough to flood, or it doesn’t rain at all. The resulting wave of heat dries up the land causing a drought for weeks until the next rain fall. When the summer months are gone, and it's too cold to rain; then it snows. I mean, it really snows. The entire city is blanketed in layer after layer of thick, puffy, white. London's weather is always at an extreme. There is never a middle ground, but it is still as predictable as the seasons changing.

 

I love living in London. I love the warmth of the hot sun on my skin, the smell of fresh rain fall in the spring, the coming of snow in the winter, and especially the bright city lights in the evening. London is home. Well, except of course, for the couple of weeks each summer that the entire family spends together at my grandparents’ house in Ottery St. Catchpole. I also spend another part of the year away at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

 

When I was a kid, I used to look forward to the weeks spent at the Burrow—that's what everyone calls my grandparents' old place—but now I think I’ve out grown the whole appeal of big family get-togethers. In the past couple of years things just haven't been the same. There aren't as many of us cousins upholding the family tradition anymore. Most of them are old enough now that they have far more pressing engagements, which clearly are more important than spending time with those of us who are too young to have any real lives of our own.

 

Victoire, the eldest of us Weasleys grandchildren, is busy planning for her wedding to Teddy Lupin. Just last year, she accepted the position of school nurse at Hogwarts. Her sister, Dominique, will be joining the Hogwarts staff this year too—as our new Care of Magical Creatures Professor. She'd been so ecstatic when the Headmistress offered her the post that she didn't think twice before accepting. Fred and Louis are going into their seventh and final year of school. Fred took a summer job at Uncle George's joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It seems like he's found his own little niche in the business and he enjoys working at the shop a great deal. Louis is currently enjoying his summer holidays by spending some time in France with his other grandparents, the Delacours. He alternates between both sets of grandparents every summer. All in all, everyone seems pretty preoccupied.

 

As for me, I would be arriving in Ottery St. Catchpole in rather poor spirits this weekend. I wasn't looking forward to three weeks of pure, unadulterated boredom. I dreaded being cooped up at my grandparents’ house in the country side more than anything else. There would be only two others along with Hugo and myself this year: my cousins, Molly and Lucy. We would all have to do without the modern 21st century comforts of home, the Muggle things we'd grown accustomed to like: our television sets, stereo systems, and video games. The closest thing to any modern living we would have is an ancient radio that is magically tuned in to the Wizarding Wireless Network. The thing is always on the same station— the one that plays my grandmother's favorite oldies music by Celestina Warbeck.

 

You see, much like my grandparents themselves, the Burrow is very old fashioned. Absolutely everything in the old house is run by magic which generally causes the failure of any electronic device in the vicinity. Fortunately, I'd had enough sense to pack some of my books to keep me entertained even though I was fairly certain I had not brought enough reading material with me to last the duration of our stay. It goes without saying that the older generations of wizards are rather inept when it comes to Muggle technology. They just have no idea what to do with it.

 

The drive to Devon in my father's non-descript black Ministry car was going to be a long one. So quiet and uneventful that it felt almost like we were driving to a funeral. Actually, it was starting to feel positively morose. My brother, Hugo, the tall, gangly, brown-haired boy in the back seat with me, was staring out the window brooding. He was sulking because, like me, he did not want to spend the holidays at the Burrow. His jaw was set in a familiar expression, the same expression my father has been wearing since we left the house.

 

My dad is Ron Weasley. He is an Auror for the Ministry's department of Magical Law. He is quite good at what he does. He keeps the Wizarding community safe. Hugo takes after our father. Except that he has thick, wavy, brown hair and brown eyes which he inherited from Mum. Dad has vibrant red hair and blue eyes like mine. They say that I look like my mother despite the fact that I inherited my father's eyes and hair color. Personally, I think I have too much of my father in me to be anywhere nearly as pretty as she is. Don’t get me wrong, I do have some self confidence. I’m pretty, I suppose, in a very ordinary way. My blue eyes and long copper hair are probably my best features. I’ve got freckles on my cheeks which some might find endearing, full pouty lips, long legs, and my body has a few curves in the right places.

 

The one thing that my family does have in common is that we're all incredibly stubborn. My parents had yet another argument today before leaving the house, so naturally the atmosphere is tense. There had been a lot of them lately, the arguments. These arguments come more frequently than ever now coinciding with my mother's election into office last year, and the increasing amounts of responsibility she is assuming for the Wizarding World. My mother, Mrs. Hermione Weasley, is the esteemed Minister of Magic. It upsets me to see them arguing and the situation at home only seems to be getting worse, not better. My little brother has noticed this too even though he likes to pretend otherwise. He tries not to let it bother him but sometimes I worry that things might never get better at all.

 

At some point, Hugo gave up on gazing at the scenery. He adjusted himself to where he could lean against my side and promptly fell asleep. I lay my head a top his and got as comfortable as I could in the confined space. There was still a long way to go. I don't remember much of the drive after that. I must have fallen asleep too, because before I knew it we were already easing up the gravel driveway in front of my grandparents' crooked farmhouse. Half-conscious, I heard my mum call my name and then Hugo's. I stirred, lifting my head, and immediately noted the dull ache in my neck from the position I’d been napping in. Beside me, Hugo stirred as well, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

 

“This is it.” I sighed.

 

“This is it,” Hugo repeated, echoing the sentiment unenthusiastically.

 

The Burrow stood towering in front of us; as crooked and unchanging as ever. Hugo threw open the door and stepped out into the warm sunlight after our parents. I followed him and stretched, rubbing the back of my neck as I did so. Stretching felt good after sitting in the car for so many hours. I was glad to be out of the cramped back seat.

 

I start up the cobblestone path toward the house and can hear loud barking coming from somewhere in the yard. Romulus and Artemis are here—a painful reminder that my cousins, the Potters, won’t be joining us. Romulus is their year old black Labrador and Artemis is a pretty golden Lab. They’re staying at The Burrow with us because the Potters are out of the country on holiday. James, Albus, and Lily would be gone for most of the summer holidays. I missed Albus already and the thought only made me more miserable. He is the only one out of all my cousins that is my age. We've always been really close. Albus and his older brother James are my best friends. Not having the boys around was going to be different.

 

I followed the barking to the fence that encloses the big yard and the dogs immediately bounded up to greet me. I smiled and patted Rom’s head before opening the gate to let them out. The pups were eager to roam free and ran at my heels as I lead the way back to the front of the house. I could hear my grandmother asking for me when I rounded the corner.

 

“I'm over here, Gran,” I called as soon as she came into view.

 

She gasped. “Is that my Rosie?”

 

I rolled my eyes when I thought she wasn't looking. Yes, that would be me. My name is Rose Jean Weasley.

 

“Let me get a good look at you,” she said. "I swear you've grown several inches since I saw you last!"

 

“It's called puberty, Grandmum,” Hugo muttered under his breath when he walked past me to get more of our things out of the trunk. No one heard him but me and I suppressed a small grin.

 

I knew Grandmum Molly had probably just finished gushing over Hugo in the same way. It never fails. She always comments on how thin we are, how much we've grown, or how much we've changed since the last time she saw us. All of her grandchildren expect the—‘is that my, insert grandchild's name here,’ followed by comments on our ever changing appearance.

 

She hugged me and after a moment she pulled away, holding me at arm’s length for inspection. This too, I was expecting. Appraising me briefly, she smiled as if she approved of what she saw.

 

“You're looking a bit peaky, dear,” Gran said. "Not to worry. It's nothing a nice home cooked meal won't cure."

 

After the customary greetings were exchanged, I went to help unload the car. We followed the adults into the house with our luggage and lingered around the foyer. Like the exterior, the inside of the house remains unchanging. The Burrow has had the same wallpaper and furniture since as far back as I can remember. The only notable changes ever made are the addition of new family photographs each year, depicting the various stages of our lives. These pictures litter the entire house, especially the mantle over the fireplace.

 

There's a perpetually homey feeling about the house. It is always warm, safe, and inviting.  Despite the fact that I had not wanted to come to St. Catchpole this year, I was starting to think that maybe three weeks wouldn't be so bad. I could make the best of it if I tried hard enough.

 

Grandmum Molly was explaining that Uncle Percy would not be arriving with Molly and Lucy till the end of the week while she eyed the tight expressions on my parent’s faces surreptitiously. I frowned at this. My grandmother was a lot more perceptive than I gave her credit for. I exchanged a meaningful look with Hugo, but he just shrugged in response.

 

“I'm going to go get settled in,” I said, hoping to distract my grandmother from her scrutiny.

 

“Yeah, Mum,” Dad began uncomfortably, seizing the moment. “Hermione and I should be going before it gets dark.”

 

“Oh, but, you just got here! Can't you at least stay for dinner?”

 

Dad eyed my mother speculatively for a moment, inquiring, and she gave a tiny shake of her head. The exchange went unnoticed by grandmother.

 

Resigned, he shook his head. “Sorry, Mum. We really should be going. We have to return the car and all that.”

 

“Well, alright then, if you must,” Grandmum conceded, though not entirely hiding her disappointment.

 

She hugged him—the difference in their height looking very comical to me, and then she drew my mother into a hug too.

 

“I'm so sorry, Molly. I really wish we could stay ...but you know things have gotten really busy at the Ministry these days,” Mum apologized.

 

She was even gracious enough to look apologetic. Mum was being honest—as honest as she could be at that moment. I know that she is under a lot of stress, both at work and at home. I think my grandmother sensed this as well, but she didn't comment.

 

“It's alright, dears. There's always next time.”

 

“Yeah,” my dad agreed. “Next time”

 

He patted Rom’s head and then lumbered over to me, where I stood at the foot of the stairs and pulled me into a hug. “Bye, Rosie, honey. Be good.”

 

I clung for a moment longer, standing on the tips of my toes to give him a kiss on the cheek before we both let go. He smiled briefly and turned to Hugo who looked annoyed again. The smile on my father's face faltered but he hugged him anyway.

 

“Bye, Daddy,” I said.

 

“Bye,” Hugo muttered under his breath.

 

He looked anxious to get away from hugs and attention. My mother knows him best. She just ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead—a familiar gesture that he seemed to accept more than the awkward hugs. Mom hugged me next.

 

“We'll be back in a week or so,” she promised. “We can go shopping for that school trip then, Rose.”

 

I nodded allowing the small burst of excitement I felt just thinking about the pending class trip. I have to admit there was at least one thing I was looking forward to this summer—the class trip Hogwarts was taking this year. It would be the very first trip the school would be taking out of the country. Since I was coming into my fifth year this term I would be able to join the sixth and seventh years to Dubai City. I'd never been out of the country before so this trip was going to be a very rare treat.

 

“Yeah, that sounds great, Mum.”

 

When all of the goodbyes were said and done, my parents left. The three of us followed them out. We watched the sedan drive away until it disappeared beyond the steep hill, then Grandmum turned to us.

 

“Now then, let's get you two unpacked and cleaned up for dinner. Arthur will be so happy to see you when he gets home,” she admonished, ushering us back inside the house.

 

Our luggage waited by the stairs, and I started to gather everything up hoping to make it upstairs with everything in one trip. Hugo surprised me when he picking up one of my heavier bags along with his things.

 

“I've got this, Rose,” he said as he walked on ahead of me.

 

“Thanks,” I called after him. He grunted in response and I chuckled as I followed him up to the landing on the second floor.

 

My room faces south. It's the one with the large window overlooking the orchard behind the house. It has a clear view of the trail that leads down to the river. The room is very bright and airy with walls painted a soft peach, and curtains that are just a shade or two darker framing the window. The furniture consists of two twin beds divided by a single night stand. My aunt’s old desk sits underneath the window with a small bookshelf stocked with books that I've already read. I have dozens of books of both the Muggle and Wizarding kind. One entire wall of my bedroom back home is nothing but bookshelves filled with my collection of novels, spell books, and all sorts of texts.

 

I've shared this bedroom with my cousin Molly since we first started spending our summers here at the Burrow. Once upon a time, however, it belonged to my Uncle Charlie and then to Aunt Ginny after that. Some of Aunt Gin’s old Weird Sisters and Holyhead Harpies posters are still up on the wall.

 

Sweet home away from home, I thought wryly as I went through the motions of unpacking.

 

Grandmum Molly tends to hover a lot, so I was relieved when she left us to our own devices. It was nice to finally have some me time. I was finished unpacking sooner than expected, because I hadn’t brought much with me to begin with. This left me with entirely too much time on my hands—too much time to think.

 

I didn't want to think, but my mind ventured into dark avenues anyway; replaying the events of earlier this morning. To distract myself, I yanked a book off of the bookshelf. It was a compilation of some of Tennyson's best work. Moving onto the bed, I lay on my stomach, and started to read, losing myself in the poetry.

 

The rest of the evening was uneventful. Grandpa came home a few hours later and joined us for dinner. We had steak and scalloped potatoes for dinner, and apple pie for dessert. I helped with the dishes, then for lack of anything better to do—I retired to my room early for the night and picked up Tennyson again. Sleep did not come easily that night. I lay awake staring at the ceiling for about an hour before unconsciousness finally took a hold of me.

 

 

The sun rose the next morning spilling into the house. It mercilessly bathed every corner of the house with its warm rays. I groaned and tried to block out the light by pulling one of the pillows over my head. It didn't help. No matter what I did, I couldn't go back to sleep.

 

I knew Grandmum was already awake; the smell of the bacon, eggs, and biscuits she was making wafted upstairs from the kitchen below.

 

Grudgingly, I admitted defeat to the powers of nature and got out of bed, padding up the stairs to the bathroom on the third floor with my bag of toiletries. Not having to share the two bathrooms in the house with a large group of people was a definite plus. It got pretty dicey when the entire family gathered here for an extended period of time. For once I wouldn't have to rush and I allowed myself more time in the shower than I normally would have. It did wonders to improve my mood.

 

I was out of the shower and dressed by the time the first batch of biscuits were out of the oven. Grand mum was just setting them on the table when I came down the stairs.

 

“Morning, Gran.”

 

“Morning, dear,” she said, smiling as she bustled around the kitchen. “How'd you sleep?”

 

“I slept alright.”

 

I walked over and kissed her cheek. “Anything I can help with?”

 

“Oh, no, breakfast will ready in a minute. You just sit down and help yourself to some biscuits. There is some raspberry jam in the fridge.”

 

“Okay.”

 

"Where's Granddad?" I wanted to know while I opened the fridge to look for the jam.

 

“He got called to work early this morning. There must be some very important business at the Ministry."

 

“I hope it’s nothing too serious.”

 

“Now don't you be worrying about any adult business. Enjoy your summer and being young while you can.”

 

Shaking my head I decided not to press the subject and helped myself to a warm biscuit with the raspberry jam I retrieved from the fridge. As I sat at the table, watching Gran bustling around, my mind was already formulating plans for the day. A swim in the river sounded appealing, but I wanted company. Maybe Alice would spend the day with me.

 

I took a bite of my biscuit and was still pondering when she set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me. I didn't bother protesting that it was entirely too much food. Grandmum has always been accustomed to the boys' hearty appetites and she insists on making sure we're all well fed, even though we're quite fine without all of the excess helpings. It's always too much food, but I’ve learned from my cousins' past experiences not to argue the point lest she think I have some sort of eating disorder.

 

I managed to polish off half of my meal with a glass of pumpkin juice and disposed of the rest when she wasn't looking. Usually I’d leave the rest to Hugo or one of the other boys but today I was on my own. Hugo was probably still in bed.

 

“Hey, Gran…” I asked uncertainly, dawdling as I took the dishes to the sink. I waited patiently until I was sure that I had her full attention. "Would it be okay if I spent the afternoon with Alice? I was planning to ask if she wanted to go for a swim in the river or something. Maybe she could stay here for a few days?"

 

She turned, smiling, one hand on her hip and a large wooden spoon in the other. “I don't see why not. As long as it's alright with Hannah and Neville, it's alright with me. Just make sure to let me know where you two will be.”

 

“Great, I'm going to go give her a call.”

 

By now my plans had taken full shape and were looking very promising. We'd go for a swim then go to Diagon Alley for the afternoon; get a head start on shopping for the trip to Greece and maybe even have some ice cream at Florean's. Alice would like that. Shopping and ice cream are the perfect cure for boredom—at least that's what any girl will tell you. It would certainly be better than being cooped up in the house all day.

 

The only phone in the house, an ancient black rotary dial telephone, is found in the living room so I excused myself to make the call. I picked up the hand set and dialed Alice’s number. Someone picked up on the third ring. It was a male voice on the line.

 

“Hello?” It was Alice's little brother, Gil, who answered.

 

“Hi, Gil, It's Rose. Can I please speak to Alice?”

 

“Sure, I'll go get her.”

 

I heard him pull away from the phone and call his sister's name loudly. I winced. Someone scolded him in the background and then Alice was on the line.

 

“Rose, hey,” she said.

 

“Hey, Alice,” I said, settling into the couch with the telephone receiver. Romulus padded into the room at that moment and climbed onto the couch. He laid his head on my lap and I petted him absently.

 

“How are the summer holidays treating you?”

 

“It's been so incredibly dull, Alice, like you wouldn’t believe.” I laughed. "That's why I'm calling actually. I was hoping you could hang out with me today... maybe even spend a couple of days here at the Burrow. There isn’t much to do around here without Al and the others.”

 

“Oh, that’s right they went away for the holidays this year. So is it just you and Hugo?”

 

“Yeah they’ll be gone all summer.”

 

“Bummer. Well I’ll just have to run it by Dad but he should be okay with it. I'll pack a few things and see you in say . . . about an hour?”

 

“That sounds great. Just don't forget your swimsuit. I want to go down to the river.”

 

“Okay—” There was an interruption in the conversation and Alice pulled the phone away to argue with Gil. Apparently he hadn't left her side.

 

“Um. . .” she said after a moment. “Gil wants to know if he can come along.”

 

“Sure, why not? I don't think Gran would mind and I'm sure Hugo would love the company."

 

“Alright, then I'll let Dad know and see you in an hour. Make sure the Floo Network to the Burrow is open for me.”

 

“No problem. See you soon, Alice.”

 

“Later, Rose.”

 

I hung up the phone and set it back in the cradle then went upstairs to put on my swim suit. Rom tagged along as he always does when he’s allowed free reign of the house. He likes to follow me or James around.

 

I had just finished tugging the pale green baby-doll spaghetti strap tank top I’d been wearing before over my head when Hugo poked his head into my room. He raised an eyebrow at my attire and I rolled my eyes at him.

 

“What?” I asked.

 

“Where are you off to so early in the morning? And just what exactly are you wearing?” Hugo asked in return. He was leaning against the door jamb observing me, looking like he just rolled out of bed with his hair mussed and still dressed in a t-shirt and sweats.

 

“ _We_ are going down to the river today with Alice and Gil,” I explained with my back turned to him. I adjusted the straps of the bathing suit I wore underneath my top and started pulling my hair back into a pony tail. I heard him huff and knew he was annoyed with my patronizing tone.

 

“It’s called a tank top,” I said finally answering his second question, my condescending tone still intact. “Really, you act like you’ve never seen one before.”

 

“I have seen a tank top before. It's just that I haven’t ever seen _you_ wearing anything like it. It's—” he said fumbling for the right word.

 

“Different?” I supplied offhandedly.

 

He shook his head. “No, it’s too revealing—or something…”

 

“Revealing?” I looked down at myself uncomprehending, my lips drawn into a pout. The top didn’t feel like a snug fit though I seem to have filled it out a bit more in the past year. That didn’t mean it was revealing more than was appropriate. The neckline may have been a little lower than I was used to but not in a trashy way. It was made to wear in the summer heat.

 

Hugo shook his head and shrugged.

 

Then he smirked at me and I finally cottoned on that he was only being obnoxious, overprotective, or maybe even both. Hugo has an incredibly weird way of showing concern for me. He’s always seen me in long sleeves, Daddy's old jumpers, or over-large t-shirts that I’ve borrowed from him or one of my cousins. They don’t seem to understand that I don't want to ruin nice clothes when playing a game up pick up Quidditch.

 

Annoyed, I picked up one of the pillows off of my bed and chucked it across the room at him. The pillow projectile missed and he laughed, bowing out of the room. His laughter could still be heard half way down the hall.

 

As promised, Alice and Gil arrived at the appointed hour via floo powder. I greeted them in the foyer already prepared for our outing; picnic lunch packed, towels, chairs and other necessities ready to go.

 

“Hey, Rose” she greeted while dusting off the residual soot from her clothes only to almost fall over when her brother came stumbling through behind her.

 

Poor Gil coughed up a storm before he was even able to say something intelligible. “I hate travelling by floo.” He grumbled.

 

“You don’t like any sort of magical travel at all do you?” Alice teased.

 

“Yeah, well they all make you feel wonky!” Gil defended, “especially traveling by port key.”

 

Alice shook her head and grimaced, “You aren’t wrong about that. Port key travel always makes me queasy.”

 

Her attention fell on me after that and she was positively beaming when she hugged me.

 

 “Wow! Look at you! This is different.” She said, gesturing to the outfit I was wearing.

 

Alice wasn’t used to seeing me in anything that would constitute as ‘girly’. She’s constantly teasing me about having a boy’s sense of style and how my cousins are a bad influence.

 

“Funny, Hugo said something about that earlier.” I grinned and shrugged indifferently, “Um…thanks. It’s just hot outside.”

 

“It’s nice.” Alice assured me, emphasizing how much she liked the change.

 

I flushed feeling slightly embarrassed. I’m not really used to the compliments.

 

On cue, Hugo joined us with both dogs hot on his heels. It looked like he’d finally done something with his unruly hair and changed out of his pajamas.

 

 “Hey, Alice, Gil” he greeted, “are we ready to go then?”  

 

I nodded and we set off at a lazy pace down the path to the river. Even the dogs came along for the exercise.

 

It was the perfect summer day. The sun was a perfect bright sphere, high in the clear blue sky and not a sign of rain.

 

It was beautiful; the perfect summer day with the sun a bright hot sphere high in the clear blue sky, and not a sign of rain.

 

“This was a great idea, ‘Ro” Alice said as we came upon the willow trees we were aiming for. It’s a nice shady spot that we always come to in the summer.

 

One of the trees even has all of our names carved into it. It became sort of a Weasley tradition to carve our name and the year underneath the rest on the first time we're brought to the river. The year is so we can remember the first time we came and when we learned how to swim. Victoire's is the first name at the very top. Uncle Bill taught her how to swim here eighteen years ago, when she was just four years old. It's been about eleven years since Mum and Daddy taught me how to swim. I've loved it ever since. I have many fond memories of those years when Mum was just Mum and not the Minister of Magic. She used to smile and laugh a lot more back then.

 

"Last one into the water is a rotten egg!" Hugo called after we’d set up the aluminum chaises. He pulled off his t-shirt, tossing it onto one of the chairs before racing toward the shallow bank with Rom chasing after him. They were the first ones into the water and almost immediately, Hugo wanted to jump back out.

 

"It's freezing!" he complained loudly. He hadn’t even gotten further than waist deep into the water and was glaring at it dubiously, arms wrapped around himself.

 

I laughed and called out to him, “Well, what did you expect, a heated pool?”

 

“Guess that makes you the rotten egg eh, mate?” Gil added, joining in on the laughter.

 

“Ha, ha, very funny, why don't you two come into the water and see for yourself?” Hugo called back.

“Sure,” I called out to him. “I'm not afraid of a little cold water. Just let me get out of these clothes.”

 

I pulled off my top and shimmied out of the capris I'd worn over my swimsuit. We set aside our clothes and the rest of us joined Hugo in the water. It was cold as promised, but the sun, swimming, and all of the splashing made it bearable. After a while we could hardly tell how cold it had been before. We spent a good deal of the afternoon horsing around in the water before we took a break for lunch.

 

After all of the food was gone Alice and I commandeered the chaises and moved them out of the shade for a little sun bathing. Hugo and Gil ended up back in the water. It was just us girls lying in the sun enjoying the afternoon without a care in the world.

 

“So what did you want to do today?” Alice asked after a while, shifting in her lounge chair to face me.

 

I was thoroughly basking in the sunlight, eyes hidden behind my sunglasses. This would be one of the few rare moments where I let myself relax. The frazzled Hogwarts student in me gets set in the back burner until we board the train back to school in September.

 

Grinning, I push the sunglasses up and shift towards Alice, “I was thinking we could have the afternoon to ourselves; ditch the little brothers and do some shopping in Diagon Alley. We still have quite a bit of daylight left.  I don’t think Freddie would mind taking them for a few hours, he loves showing off the new merchandise at the joke shop. We could go see your Mum, and that new boutique. Maybe even stop by Florean’s…”

 

“Florean's,” Alice repeated, her face brightening. I smirked at her knowing the reason behind it, which had nothing at all to do with ice cream. Andrew Fortescue, old man Florean's grandson, has been working at the ice cream shop for the past two summers and Alice harbors a huge crush on the older boy. Andrew also happens to be one of Louis' best friends.

 

“Yeah, are you game?”

 

“Of course!” she exclaimed.

 

“Brilliant!” I said, “Time to get going then, while there is still light out. I can’t wait to check out the clothes and maybe get an outfit or two.”

 

“Isn’t that Rizzoli’s place pricey?” Alice asked. “I heard from my Mum that they have really high quality clothes and the prices to match. She’d know too. Mum hears all sorts of gossip from around the Alley.”

 

I nodded, “I’ll bet it is, but I have some money saved. The class trip is coming up and we can't exactly take wizard robes. There will probably be a lot of sightseeing and too many Muggles around. We're not even allowed to bring our wands."

 

“Oh, I'll bet those Slytherins snobs are really going to enjoy that.”

 

“I don't believe they'll fancy being without their wands for a week,” I said with a laugh. “It should be fun to watch them flounder around the Muggles.”

 

Alice laughed with me and got up from her lounge chair. It was time to go.

 

“What are we waiting for then? Let’s go! There is no better way to spend the afternoon than shopping and getting some ice cream!”

 

“You bet!” I agreed with a grin.

 

“Boys, come on let’s go!  Get out of the water. We have to head back,” Alice called.

 

I followed suit and started folding up our towels and packing up while Alice rounded up the boys. Once we'd finished getting all of our things together, we headed back toward the house...

 

 

***  *  *  *  ***

 

 

I was thankful whatever good fortune we seemed to be having today. The perfect weather continued and admittedly I was having more fun than I thought I would during my stay at the Burrow. After we got back to the house we left all of the towels in the wash and put everything away before flooing to the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Longbottom was expecting us when we arrived.

 

She's a very kind faced woman with warm blue eyes and honey blond hair. She sort of reminds me of my Grandmum, but of course, much younger and sans the red hair. Alice's mum owns the Leaky Cauldron now ever since old Tom passed away. She's done a lovely job with the place. The shabby inn was completely renovated when she took ownership and now it has more of a warm and homey atmosphere. Business was doing quite well for the Longbottoms.

 

We didn't visit with Mrs. Longbottom for very long. With promises that we'd come back after we were done shopping we emerged into Diagon Alley through the secret wall entrance at the rear of the inn. The long cobblestone street of the alley was bustling as usual with a large crowd of witches and wizards. The four of us weaved through the throng of people attracting all sorts of strange looks and attention. I wasn't surprised considering we looked like a bunch of Muggle teenagers. I was too comfortable in my flip flops and capris to care. I didn’t even bother doing much with my hair, the semi-dry curls were pulled back into a messy ponytail and that was it.  If anything our outfits were far more sensible than robes given the current heat wave and the hot sun felt rather nice on my bare shoulders.

 

Our first stop was Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes located at number 93. The boys were ecstatic to be visiting Freddie and Uncle George. We dropped them off at the joke shop and then worked our way back to number 59 which used to be Terrortours, a really weird and dodgy travel agency that closed many years ago. The premises had been empty for quite some time until a few months ago, when Madam Rizzoli bought the space and turned it into an Italian boutique. Several other businesses from before the war had disappeared as well to make room for new ones just like Rizzoli's.

 

On the exterior, Rizzoli's appears to be a very small space, wedged between numbers 58 and 60. It looks out of place in the midst of the surrounding Wizarding shops, with its quite ordinary boutique style clothing displayed in the windows like something straight out of an Italian shopping strip or a Muggle fashion magazine. It isn't until you walk inside however, that you get the full effect. The store looks twice, maybe three times as large on the interior.

 

Alice and I walked in for the very first time since it opened. There were countless racks and shelves full every variety of clothes and colors that anyone could possibly think of. It all looked incredibly expensive. I was starting to have second thoughts about our little shopping expedition, but I figured it couldn't hurt to at least look around. Madam Rizzoli, a tall, curvy woman, with long wavy brunette hair, was eyeing us from her register at the checkout counter where she was ringing up a customer. The store didn’t seem to be very busy at the moment so once she was through; she walked over to us and smiled.

 

“Buon giorno is there anything I could help you girls with?” she asked in a heavy Italian accent.

 

I flushed and looked to Alice for help. She shrugged at me, unsure of what to say either. “Honestly, I really don’t even know where to start.”

 

She actually seemed delighted with my answer. “Well, let’s have a look shall we? I know I have dozen of things that would look wonderful with your lovely hair color. You listen to Madam Rizzoli, I will not steer you wrong. Fashion is how you say… my business!”

 

“O...okay”

 

I couldn’t disagree. Madam Rizzoli is a beautiful woman with an incredible flair for style. Before I knew what I had agreed to, she was taking us through the entire shop, pulling things off of racks and piling them into our arms until we’d come around full circle to the dressing rooms.

 

“I want to see the pale gold top on you first; the one with the rosette trim,” she said to me. “Wear it with the dark jeans I picked out for you. It will look amazing.”

 

Then she turned to Alice and held up a teal, tunic top she had picked out to get an idea of how it would look. "Try this one on. It will bring out the green in your eyes."

 

We went to change; all the while I wondered how we were going to pay for everything. There was no way we had enough money between us to buy all of the clothes Madam Rizzoli had pulled off the rack and we still had other stops to make before the end of the day. I hadn't planned on spending all of my money in one place. I knew I probably afford an outfit or two at the most. Hopefully my lack of funds wouldn’t hurt the shopkeeper’s feelings or upset her.

 

I stepped out of the dressing room wearing the outfit she had suggested. It looked great except for the flip flops I was wearing which probably wouldn't go with anything in the store at all. Madam Rizzoli noticed this and shook her head.

 

“It needs something,” she mused.

 

She had already turned away from me in search of whatever the 'something' might be and I resisted the urge to look at the price tags on my ensemble.

 

My eyes widened when she came back with a large shoe box.

 

“These are perfect for that outfit and you can wear them in the summer or winter. They are completely fashionable.” She looked very pleased with herself when she opened the box and revealed a pair of black leather mid calf boots.

 

 “Genuine leather,” added Madam Rizzoli as she took one out of the box.

 

 _And expensive,_ I thought to myself sure that the quality of the boots would reflect in the price.

 

“Go on, try them on. Size six should be just about the right for you.”

 

She ushered me over to a small velvet upholstered settee and handed the first boot over to me. I undid the bindings, and the zipper, then tried it on.

 

 _Of course it was a perfect fit._ The fact that she could guess my size was rather impressive.

 

The other boot was already being held out to me when I looked back up at her and I put that one on as well.

 

“Up, up, up!” she insisted. She made a motion for me to twirl around.

 

Obligingly I spun around modeling the new look for her. She guided me towards a mirror and pulled the hair tie out of my hair letting it fall to my shoulders. "Brava!" she said pleased. "You look perfect."

 

“Wow, Rose, you look like one of those models from a fashion magazine.” Alice complimented when she come to join us by the full-length mirror. She was wearing the teal tunic and faded blue jeans.

 

“Thanks,” I replied. My face went from white to red again with embarrassment. Then I unconsciously glanced at the price stamped on the box and my eyes widened again.

 

“This is all very nice, Madam Rizzoli. I'm just—”

 

“—Not sure that we can afford everything you've picked out for us,” Alice finished for me. Apparently the two of us had been thinking the very same thing.

"This is true. I may have gotten a little carried away." she said sounding chagrined. "I have a proposition for you girls then. Rose, and Alice, is it? How would you like to work for me in the afternoons this summer? The shop is relatively new and I need a hand around here. You can wear some of the clothes while you are here. You two are exactly the kind of girls I need to model my clothes around the store. At the end of the day you can keep whatever clothes I have you wear and I'll pay you fairly at the end of each week as well. You would have to ask your parents if it is alright with them, of course."

 

“That sounds like fun!” Alice said and she nudged me meaningfully.

 

“Yeah, that’s a great idea. We'll ask our parents,” I added. Once again I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting myself into, but Alice seemed so enthusiastic that I couldn't really say no. At least I wouldn’t be bored.

 

“Lovely! Well go on then, try on a few things and I'll ring up whatever you decide to buy today. We should take some measurements of you girls to keep on record too...you'll need your school robes soon...”

 

As it turns out we spent at least another hour at Rizzoli's and walked out laden with packages. I was eighteen galleons, nine sickles, and fifteen knuts poorer than when I had walked in. I found that I didn't exactly regret. I liked the clothes that I bought. I may have over done it a bit with purchasing the leather boots but they would be useful for the winter. My old ones were getting worn out— at least that’s what I told myself when I let Madam Rizzoli ring them up.

 

“So, where did you want to go next?” Alice asked as we walked down the alley aimlessly. We hadn't decided on our next stop.

 

“I want to go to the bookstore,” I replied. “Flourish & Blotts is just up ahead.”

 

Alice made a face. Perusing the bookstore didn't sound particularly appealing to her especially since she knows how prone I am to spending hours on end going through F & B's large selection.

 

“Well, why don't you go on ahead? I have to stop by the Magical Menagerie to pick up some owl treats for Fen. I'll meet you at Flourish in a few minutes.”

 

“Sure,” I agreed. I didn't mind splitting up. I wanted to take my time at the bookstore.

 

I reached into my pocket for some of the money I had left over and counted out enough for a package of owl treats. “Here,” I said handing the money over to her. “Get a package of treats for Spade too for me.”

 

She nodded and pocketed the money. “Okay, I won't be long. Have fun at the bookstore.”

 

I continued on my way through the crowded, cobblestone street and ducked into my favorite shop. The store was much cooler inside than the sweltering heat I had just come from, but I hadn't escaped the crowd. I don't like crowds; never have, never will. I think I get a bit claustrophobic. The first floor of the building was full of parents and their children buying school books and it wasn't even the back to school rush.

 

Weaving my way around large book displays and people I got to the stairs and went up to the second floor. The noise level dropped considerably and there weren't as many shoppers, just a few stragglers that were not looking for school textbooks.

 

I was in my element, simply content to leisurely peruse F & B's collection of novels. Going through the aisle nearest to me, I found myself looking at defensive magic spell books skimming past the various titles until I found something that caught my interest. Unfortunately for me the book that ended up catching my interest, ‘Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts’, was on the very top shelf of the section I was in.

 

 _Great,_ I thought. _Where is Louis, James, or Albus when I need them?_ Any of them would be tall enough to get the book for me with no trouble at all.

 

I bit my bottom lip and frowned. I didn't think I’d get any of the store clerks to help me while they were so busy with the customers on the first floor. It would take much too long just to find one of them in the midst of all the people below.

 

_Maybe if I could just stretch far enough…_

 

I stood on the tips of my toes stretching as far as I could but my fingers were just out of reach.

 

 _Damn skyscraper bookshelves_ , I muttered under my breath.

 

“You know, you are quite the ballerina.”

 

The new voice pierced through the quiet of the second floor startling me and distracting me from the focus of my attention. I stumbled…

 

 

******

 

 

_What’s the best book on your bookshelf?_


	3. HATE EVERY BEAUTIFUL DAY

Harry Potter and related content belongs to J.K Rowling. I own nothing except for any new characters that my creative little mind comes up with and Romulus the Labrador!

 

HATE EVERY BEAUTIFUL DAY

 

“Cause I hate every beautiful day

 

Faces in the crowd  
Fake smiles for miles

My imitations wrong of them again  
Trapped inside this cheap hotel  
Bored as hell turing the channels 'round”

 

Scorpius

 

Wiltshire…

 

The sun rose bringing with it another intolerably hot summer day which held no more promise than the day before it. I absolutely abhor the month of July. As a matter of fact I have a rather strong distaste for the summer holidays all together really. The sweltering heat and boredom can be a very poor combination for a teenage boy such as me. I don’t do well with boredom. Never have.

So far I’d been stuck within the drab walls of my family’s manor for two weeks, bored out of my wits with only the house elves for company. My parents were off on some frivolous holiday. I was old enough now that I could beg off of going without too much fuss. Spending my summer with them attending social function after function parading around as the perfect family did not sound appealing.

When they left a few nights ago I didn’t even bother asking where they were going. There were no goodbyes, but I can’t say that I was really broken up about it. To be quite frank I didn’t care. 

It wasn’t often that I was given this amount of freedom and now that I had it I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it. One would think that I’d relish in the fact that I had the manor all to myself, but really how much fun could it be when there was really nothing of interest to do.

After the second week of so much of the same I woke up in a mood and lay in bed staring at the ceiling contemplating what to do with myself. I could be cliché and have some sort of party tonight, but I really didn’t want to deal with the ramifications. Parties could get awfully complicated and messy. Besides, I needed to get out of the manor and do something; anything at all.

The house elves were beginning to get on my very last nerve. If I had to hear one more ‘young master Malfoy’ early in the morning like some annoying wake up call, I was going to pack them all off with a bundle of clothes just to be rid of them. Unfortunately, I don’t think my parents would thank me for it later. 

Finally I settled on making a trip to Diagon Alley. Wandering around under the hot summer sun would not be the mist ideal way to spend my day, but at least it would offer some sort of distraction. With a little luck perhaps something of interest would come up. If the Alley proved to be a bust then I would pay my best friend Cody McAdams, a visit in Edinburgh. 

Getting out of the house was essential at this point so I showered, threw on some semi-casual clothes, and did something presentable with my hair. The fireplace in the parlor is always connected to the floo network and I made my way downstairs to get there.

“Tala!” I called loudly before reaching for the jar of floo powder.

“Young Master?” the house elf inquired, appearing in front of me with an all too familiar pop.

“Tala” I said, “I’m going to be leaving shortly. I need you to keep the house in order. If my parents call in to check on me let them know I’m going to be spending time in Edinburgh with the McAdamses.”

Tala bent her head in a bow, “No worrying, Sir, Tala will take care of everything. Shall we be expecting you for dinner?”

“No, I probably won’t be home tonight.” I replied.

With another nod the elf popped off again to wherever she’d been before I summoned her.

Tala is one of the more reliable elves in our house hold and I could count on her to keep order and relay a message if it was necessary. As much as the house elves could get on my nerves, I couldn’t deny Tala’s efficiency. I was confident in leaving her to take care of the manor while we are all away.

With my destination in mind I took some of the floo power from the jar on top of the mantel and was on my way.

 

xxxxxx

 

Diagon Alley…

 

The long cobbled street of Diagon Alley was a hub of activity as it always is at nearly any time of day during the summer months. I had only just moved into the traffic of people and already regretted making the trip. The crowded street and noise only made the heat that much more unbearable. I pressed on anyway, making my way toward the large, white marble building that houses Gringott’s Bank; one of Diagon Alley’s more permanent fixtures. I would pay the Malfoy vault a visit to replenish my funds first. 

I was almost completely tapped out after the night back from Hogwarts. My cousin Damian had decided a full night of debauchery was in first order for the holiday break. Now that had been a night to remember. There had been too much alcohol, several gorgeous girls to choose from, and absolutely no inhibitions. Not that my cousin has any inhibitions to start with. I could always count on him to make things interesting. What started off as a night of club hoping ended up becoming a monstrous party at Montague manor. I’m almost certain that people are still talking about it. The next morning, said manor was a complete disaster and Aunt Daphne had been so furious with us. 

The trip to Gringott’s went without incident even though the bloody goblins still manage to creep me out and the ride down to the vaults will make anyone queasy. Pocket full of galleons, I decided to deal with breakfast. There are a few café’s located along the alley so I stopped at the first one I came to and ordered tea and a pastry. The waitress was pretty enough; a brunette with hazel eyes that looked to be about my age though I couldn’t place her at Hogwarts. I was sure she wasn’t a Slytherin at any rate and probably not in my year. We flirted back and forth anyway. It served to pass the time. 

Once I paid my bill at the cafe I went on to visit one of my usual haunts; Quality Quidditch. I spent some time there, admiring the brooms and the latest equipment. The new Phantom Storm looked impressive enough to consider. I moved off to the display of protective equipment while debating the necessity of buying one of the newer racing models when I heard his voice; the one person more annoying than Potter himself. I couldn’t help the wry smirk of amusement that curled my lips. 

“Well, if it isn’t Potter’s tag along. Finally dug up enough of that Gryffindor courage to try out for the quidditch team?”

Westley Wood straightened from the shelf he was browsing and glowered at me. Wood is taller, and burlier than I am. He tends to use that to his advantage but it has never intimidated me. It’s far too amusing to taunt him. 

“I am not anyone’s tag along, Mal…”

I chuckled, cutting him off, “Could have fooled me.”

“James is my friend. Not that you would know anything about what a friend is.”

“Oh, I know plenty about friendship. Question is when are you going to crawl out of Potter’s shadow? Or do you just like being in his little fan club?”

“Fan club? Just bugger off, Malfoy. What do you know about anything?”

“I’m pretty sure I know more about quidditch than you do. Maybe you should have Potter actually teach you the game. Or better yet why not have your dad teach you? Unless…your sister got all of the talent.”

The look of consternation on Wood’s face was priceless.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but I didn’t give him an opening “It’s alright, Wood. We can’t all be born with natural talent.”

Picking up the shin guards and fingerless gloves I’d been after I left him standing there looking completely at a loss for words. Satisfied, I went ahead to the till to pay for my items and gave instructions to have them shipped home. I even splurged on getting the new broom. It wasn’t like my parents couldn’t afford it anyway.

I still had no new direction in mind when I walked out of the supply store. I just shoved my hands in the pockets of my slacks and hid my grey eyes behind sunglasses before continuing to meander down the street, half hoping for something that would catch my attention while praying that I didn’t attract any unwanted attention to myself. 

Being a Malfoy has its advantages and disadvantages. My surname comes with a fair amount of notoriety. People never seem to forgive and forget the sins of your past (or the sins of your ancestors), but money can go a long way towards keeping you on the top of the proverbial food chain. The very same people that will talk about you behind your back will smile and play nice with you in a social setting. Everyone wants something and it pays to make the right connections. I was in no mood to play nice and deal with the hypocrisy today.

Unfortunately luck was not with me.

“Malfoy!” a feminine voice called. I just barely heard her voice above the crowd but it was unmistakable; Georgina Pucey, a Slytherin girl a year ahead of me. Sighing inwardly, I rolled my eyes and reluctantly slowed my pace enough for her to catch up.

“Pucey,” I greeted in what I hoped was an amicable tone once she joined me.

The brunette smiled, “Fancy catching up with you here in Diagon Alley today.”

“I’m sure it’s a pleasure.” I quipped.

“Actually, it is a good thing I ran into you. Is Cody around here with you?”

“Contrary to popular belief, I am not Cody’s keeper. So, no, I haven’t even seen him today.” I replied.

I had to repress the annoyance that was starting to seep into my voice. I knew the only reason Pucey even bothered to approach me was to inquire about my best friend, her unrequited crush. We’re not exactly on the friendliest of terms. Though, I must admit, she does try her best to make the right friends in school. 

She pouted, “Bugger, I was hoping he’d be here. I had something to ask him about. Would you mind—“

“I’m not his owl either, Pucey. It was good talking to you though. See you around.”

Leaving her there in the crowd, I moved on to my own business. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my afternoon playing nice with Georgina Pucey. I made a few more purchases; a new journal from Scribbulus Inks and some owl treats for my eagle owl, Lyra, at Eeylops. Eventually I ducked into Flourish and Blott’s to get out of the heat. It seemed like a good idea up until I saw the crowd inside amassing around the various text book displays. I made a bee-line for the stairs and got up to the second level of the book store. As I expected I managed to escape the masses without incident. The noise level went down to just bearable. With a relieved sigh, I wandered down the first aisle of books I came to. None of the titles immediately grabbed my attention. The library back at the manor probably housed twice as many books to choose from if I was seriously interested in new literature.

Walking into Flourish and Blott’s had gotten me out of the heat but it did nothing to cure the boredom. Resigned, I grabbed a book at random and claimed one of the many pouffes scattered around the store to sit and read. At least it was cooler inside of the store. I wasn’t about to brave the oppressively hot sun again so soon. Lethargy set in only after a hand full of minutes of leafing through the book…

 

******

 

What is your favorite thing to do on a hot summer day?


End file.
